3 Men Are Charged In Slayings Of Elderly Brothers On South Side

Chicago police on Friday announced the arrest of three suspects in the slayings of two brothers who were beaten and then set on fire in their South Side home during a robbery.

Raymond Lee, 21, of the 1000 block of West 112th Place, John B. Mitchell, 25, of the 1100 block of West 111th Place and Robert J. Campbell, 20, of the 6500 block of South Artesian Avenue each has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder. They are expected to appear in court for bond hearings Saturday.

All have been charged in the Monday afternoon slayings of Preston Stofer, 66, and his 64-year-old brother, Raymond. Firefighters found their bodies inside their burning home on the 1000 block of West 112th Place.

Both died of blunt trauma injuries as well as burns and smoke inhalation they suffered when their bodies were doused with a flammable liquid and set afire, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Morgan Park District Police Cmdr. Harold Hohm said one of the brothers twice had called for help that day. The first call was at 10:45 a.m. to report a man banging on their door; the second was at 12:30 p.m.to say the man had returned.

Police went to the home and spoke with one of the brothers each time but did not find any suspect at the scene, Hohm said.

Calumet Area Detective Division Cmdr. Daniel Briggs said detectives were unable to link the man the brothers had described or the car they had reported he drove to the three men arrested. But Briggs said all three gave videotaped statements that implicated themselves in the killings.

"The vehicle that was described in the previous incidents did not match the vehicle the offenders were driving," Briggs said. "We have nothing that ties (the suspects) directly to the calls there."

He said an undisclosed amount of money was taken from the residence. He said information from neighbors and evidence at the scene led police to the suspects.

"He did not do this," said Lee's mother, Doris, 39, who appeared at the Calumet Area Detective Division. "These boys were raised decent. They've got the wrong ones here."